US GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN FOR FIRST TIME IN SIX YEARS

As the clock has struck midnight in the US, the federal government officially shut down after a deadlocked Congress failed to pass a funding measure to keep the lights on -- and the Capitol is clueless as to what would follow, CNN reported. This is the first government shutdown since 2019.

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Leaders of both parties are privately and publicly adamant that they will not be blamed for the funding lapse: Republicans insist Democrats need to simply agree to extend current funding for another seven weeks. Democrats refuse to do so without major concessions for lending their votes topassany funding measure in the Senate, as per CNN. Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer are placing the blame squarely on US President Donald Trump and Republicans.